Sandy City Journal | January 2021

January 2021 | Vol. 21 Iss. 01

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SANDY RESIDENTS SHARE WHAT KEEPS THEM HOPEFUL AND POSITIVE

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

T

here’s an array of products for sale right now—mugs, T-shirts, masks—with a graphic that reads “2020” and then below that one star out of five is filled in. Some have comments that look like a rating system for a movie or restaurant: “Very bad. Would not recommend.”

At the end of a difficult year, the Sandy Journal asked people who live and work here what they see in their world, community or faith that gives them a reason to be positive and have hope. Here are their answers. And here’s to the five-star 2021 that we all deserve.

BROOKE BROADHEAD CHRISTENSEN, SANDY CITY COUNCILMEMBER

“I am hopeful because I still see people serving one another and being neighborly. I love that neighbors are offering to pick up groceries for shut-ins and elderly neighbors. I see almost every week someone offering to pick up groceries or take people to doctor’s appointments and help their neighbors do something they can’t do.

“I also love how hard our teachers are working. They’re willingly putting themselves in harm’s way so our kids can The Ainsworth kids of Sandy stay positive by going to school at Sprucewood Elementary, where they learn and see their friends in the Reid family. continue to have those social and education opportunities. (Photo courtesy Lisa Reid) And they do it with such enthusiasm and energy.”

SETH KRINKE, WORSHIP PASTOR, MOUNTAIN eyes focused there.

VIEW CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY

“In the church environment, we see what hope can do.

No matter our circumstances, we have hope and know our God can take care of this. In the Bible, one of the most often repeated phrases is ‘do not fear,’ and ‘do not be afraid.’ We encourage people to their faith and hope in God and keep their

The Ainsworth family “In December we had a new baby. She keeps me hopeful, “If you’re not religious, put your eyes on the good around you. It’s hard to do when you’re right in the middle of some- and I feel positive thinking that I get to show her this beautiful thing bad. But read throughout history—you’ll see that people world,” said mom Carly Ainsworth.

“Lots of family time makes me feel positive,” Bo Elyse who believe the best and keep their eyes on what can be, usually come out on top.”

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January 2021 | Page 3

José Enriquez, founder of Latinos in Action, believes that when people serve each other, show gratitude and connect—like they do in Latinos in Action—the giver and receiver are both better for it. (Photo courtesy Latinos in Action)

Continued from front page Ainsworth, age 4, said.

“School at Sprucewood Elementary keeps me positive. I love seeing my friends and learning from my teachers,” Birdie Ainsworth, age 10, said.

“Playing basketball makes me feel positive,” Blake Ainsworth, age 8, said.

SHELLY DAVIS, PRINCIPAL OF GRACE LUTHERAN SCHOOL

“Being a principal, it’s about the kids.

Things like the pandemic can’t be helped, but to guide kids through difficult things always brings me joy. Everything is a teaching moment. And kids adapt very well; they are very resilient.

“As far as my faith, my hope is always in Jesus, no matter where the world is taking us. Whether it’s earthquakes or pandemics or staying at home for weeks on end—none of that matters in the end. All hope, all peace, all joy can be seen in the Bible. It puts aside everything that’s going

Journals

Imam Shuaib of the Utah Islamic Center (at podium) hopes the lessons we learned in 2020 stay with us and we create lives of meaning, instead of going back to the way things were. (Photo courtesy Utah Islamic Center)

on in the world. It’s not that God will take away the pandemic—he could, but he may not—but it doesn’t matter. Whatever’s in the news, God is still God.” José Enriquez, founder of Latinos in Action “Connectivity to those you serve is a place where I found that people are most joyous. In December, a young man who is now a student at the U reached out to thank me for the LIA program. He took the time to say, ‘I’m here today because people helped me get here.’ People find happiness in gratitude, and the giver and receiver are both edified.

“I’ve seen that over and over with young people—the more they serve and connect, the happier they are. It gets them out of their rut. We all need networks, now more than ever. The more places you find that connectivity, the better you are. LIA provides that. All the students need is a place where they can talk to people who are

going through what they’re going through.

That’s what makes people happy now.”

Lisa Reid, mom and dance teacher “I’ve loved seeing people get creative about helping each other and make the best of things. Early on when it was hard to get groceries, my neighbor heard me say that I couldn’t find milk, and he brought our family some milk.

“Our neighborhood got creative about how to keep kids (and parents) happy.

Moms called each other and swapped tips and frustrations. We had a neighborhood Easter egg hunt where we put up pictures of eggs in our windows. Neighbors met outside to spend time together. My family does a weekly game night on Zoom.

“Yes, some people whine and complain and focus on conspiracy theories, but most people I see are being creative about making the best of this situation.”

Imam Shuaib, Utah Islamic Center “I see this global pandemic as a fork

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in the road: it gives us two options in how we move forward. Either we can get back to our lives exactly as they were, or we can continue to work together and realize how closely we are connected.

“Across the world, millions were affected, especially the elderly. We need their wisdom and their blessings. Everything is not normal, and we mourn their loss. But the greater loss would be that we go back to our lives not having learned anything from all of this.

“We need to take life more seriously instead of just amassing ‘toys’ and thinking this world is all about having fun. We need to try our best to make this world a better place.”

Don Stirling, Executive Director Miller Family Office, LHM Philanthropy “There’s always a tremendous amount of need in our community, and 2020 expanded that need. We see physical and economic challenges with COVID, and anxiety

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attention and focus and creativity. We’ll remember learning to do those things we’d never done before. I think we’re all a little bit stronger and better because of 2020.

We’re all a little more resilient.”

Pastor Jeff Tally, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church “Our joy is not based on happy circumstances, but on a relationship that is selfless and wonderful. One of the things we can do to initiate relationships and spread joy is the same thing we find Jesus doing for us. He showed us his love and kindness with no strings attached.

“We find joy in doing acts of loving kindness with no strings attached, in the hope that we can be like the one who is perfect at it. We love him because he first loved us.

“In these weird times it can be especially hard to overcome sadness or fear and show love with no strings attached. But when you do you bring a little bit of connection and joy into the world that wasn’t there before. A little light in a dark place can make all the difference.” l

Pastor Seth Krinke of Mountain View Christian Assembly loves the advice given in the Bible to “not be afraid” and “do not fear” and puts his faith and trust in God. (Photo courtesy MVCA)

related to a national election. And hopefully all of us saw and recognized that we need to do better with social justice when it comes to our Black and Brown brothers and sisters.

“The great thing about Utah is that we are not a people who shy away from tough situations. We rise up and do our best to help each other.

“We tried to do something this holiday season that would benefit the whole community. We decorated the Vivint Arena so families would have a place to safely gather, and we gave away movie tickets when people donated to the Food Bank or Toys for Tots. We are inspired by the way our community continues to give.”

Justin Ables, RN in Alta View Hospital’s ICU “I am trying to see 2020 from my kids’ point of view. They are 3 and 6 years old.

It’s my greatest hope, and I suspect, that they’ll look back and remember 2020 as an amazing year. We spent a ton of time together as a family.

“We tried new things, things that they’ll take with them their whole lives. We biked and camped and did home improvements. We put our phones down and played games together. We gave out quarantine awards.

“Going into 2021, our family will be better for having gone through this. We’ll carry with us that investment of time and

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Business Spotlights are a service offered to our advertisers to help them inform our readers about their businesses. For information on scheduling a Spotlight, please call us at 801-254-5974 or email us at ryan.c@thecityjournals.com

If you are a veteran or spouse of a veteran who served during wartime, you’ve had your share of dealing with the VA. But they may never have told you about the Aid and Attendance Pension.

“This is very personal work for me,” said Carol Autrey, owner of Senior Care Associates at 9035 S. 1300 E. Suite 130 in Sandy. “My father, Carl ‘Dennis’ Rohlfing served four years in WWII and was a POW. The longterm health effects of his service lasted throughout his life. He and his widow, my mother, deserved the pension he earned.”

“But in all my dealings with the VA, I never heard of it until I started working with seniors. This is a common thread with the families I help. It isn’t right,” Autrey said.

The pension is for seniors 65 years and older who are wartime veterans and their spouses, including their widows. If you’re looking at help with in-home care or assisted living, finding the right fit for care is hard enough.

Senior Care Associates takes on the job of dealing with the VA to secure the pension.

The money is tax-free. It starts at $1244 for surviving spouses and goes up from there. It’s deposited directly into your bank account so you can decide the best way to use it. Autrey and her husband Dennis have a toll free number 1-877-424-1333 and have worked with veterans around the country. It’s their mission to spread the word.

“It doesn’t matter whether the money is used for care

Happy New Year from all of us at

in the home, a family member’s home, assisted living or private pay in a skilled nursing facility,” Dennis Autrey said, “And this is not a Medicaid program. You’re still eligible if you have assets and money in the bank.”

Dennis, whose father Thomas Marvin Autrey was also a veteran, enjoys going out to visit with seniors. The COVID restrictions have kept Dennis from meeting with people and presenting at senior centers.

“I worry that now more than ever veterans don’t know about this help, and this is when they may need it the most,” Dennis said.

Senior Care Associates boasts a 100% approval rate within one to three months of application for the pension.

They keep up on changes to VA laws, and have access to an elder law attorney.

“We have been doing this for 13 years and we know about all the red tape and the hoops you need to jump through. We are happy to answer your questions and help you get started if you’re eligible for the pension,” Dennis said.

Check Carol and Dennis’s website www.seniorcareassociates.com for more information. You’ll find several FAQs and blog entries, including personal stories about both of their fathers’ military service. You can also fill out a form online so they can contact you.

“Whether you served during WWII, Korea or Vietnam, you earned this benefit. If you or a surviving spouse is eligible for the aid, we want to help you get it,” Dennis said.

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What’s your legacy?

Sandy City, smart city

By Justin Adams | justin.a@thecityjournals.com

W

hen Sandy Mayor Kurt Bradburn came into office two years ago, one of his goals was to bring the city into the 21st century. For example, the fire department’s system for regular fire hydrant checks used to consist of several large three-ring binders full of paper logs. Now, you can hop on an app and see a map of the city that shows where all the fire hydrants are, and when each one was last checked. That transformation is just one of many that have taken place in the last two years as part of the city’s drive to become more efficient.

“We all started with a smartphone but that was years ago. Now we have smart houses. The natural evolution is to create smart communities and smart cities,” said Sandy Chief Administrative Officer Matthew Huish, who was brought over from the University of Utah Hospital System by Bradburn because of his experience with maximizing the efficiency of complex systems.

So what does a smart city look like?

It means parents can sign their kids up for summer camps at Alta Canyon Recreation Center online, rather than going in person and waiting in long lines. It means sprinkler systems at the city’s many parks are controlled by an automated system that changes according to the weather. It means city department heads being able to view their departmental budget live every day, rather than waiting on

a monthly update from the finance department. It means contractors can submit bids to the city electronically, rather than having to mail it to city hall. And those are just a few things.

Moving city operations from analog to digital systems produces a lot of valuable data. To take advantage of that, the city started a new Business Intelligence division.

‘Business Intelligence’ refers to a genre of software products that specialize in aggregating data from a variety of other software programs and organizes it in a central hub, analyzes it, and packages it in a user-friendly dashboard.

“Part of what we’re trying to do is to tap into these systems to make it easier for managers and employees to have access to the data,” said Brett Neumann, the Business Intelligence director.

A Sandy native, Neumann attended the University of Utah where he received a Master’s in Public Administration and has worked for the city since 2007.

Along with his team, Neumann acts as a consultant for all the various departments in the city. If a department head has an idea for something they’d like to try, the Business Intelligence team can look at the data and determine whether or not it’s likely to work.

“It’s the analytics that allow you to look at trends and make data-driven decisions,”

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explained Huish.

This digital transformation paid off in a big way this year when much of the city unexpectedly shifted into work-from-home mode because of COVID-19.

“When it hit in March you saw across the country, the city reacted to the crisis by setting up telecommuting and digitizing our processes,” said Zach Whalen, one of the city’s analysts who focuses on the budget. “We were in a position to hit the ground running. We were using Microsoft Teams for six months before COVID hit. We have put some stuff in place that has made us a lot more nimble for a climate like this.”

Of course, as soon as you start talking about governments collecting data from residents or using algorithms to drive decision-making for things like police work, it’s easy to start envisioning unintended dystopian consequences. That’s why ethics play an important role in everything the Business Intelligence team does.

“It’s definitely on the forefront of our thoughts in the public sector,” Whalen said.

Finding a balance between technologically-driven improvements to government efficiency and various ethical concerns really comes down to policy, according to Huish. It will be up to residents’ elected representatives on the city council to determine what the city is comfortable with.

“Different communities have different values,” Neumann said. “I think that’s likely to be a healthy debate in the public square. There may be some things that Sandy residents want but there may be some tradeoffs.”

The big question is: has this digital transformation saved the Sandy City taxpayer money?

The short answer is yes, according to Huish. Getting an exact figure for the city’s return on its investment in this new digital infrastructure is a little trickier however.

The Business Intelligence team has started working on conducting ROI studies on some of the software it has licensed in the last two years.

“We found out we were easily breaking even and even coming out ahead on an ROI analysis for our purchasing software,” Neumann said.

Other ways of measuring savings include hours saved by employees. For one small example, periodic training sessions for city employees used to be held in-person at city hall. Now that they can be taken online, it saves a car trip to city hall for the many employees who work elsewhere throughout the city.

“What’s the return on that? I can’t even imagine,” Huish said.

Looking long-term, it’s also possible that the city will be able to save on employment costs as it slowly eliminates positions. (Huish was careful to

S andy Journal .com

Visit us in Sandy 11052 So Grapevine Cove

A screenshot of Sandy’s live budget dashboard, which is made possible by the digital infrastructure improvements made during the last two years.

R E A D Y S E T G R O W

A communications dashboard reveals how people interact with the city’s website.

specify that no Sandy City employee would be laid off because of their job being taken over by a computer.

Instead, as employees retire or leave for other reasons, the city will weigh whether or not it’s necessary to refill that position.)

With so much changing in such short a time, it may be possible that some residents aren’t even aware of a change that might benefit them. To rem-

edy that, the city is working on ways to let residents know about these changes in a way that doesn’t come across as the city “tooting its own horn.” However, the best way for residents to find out about these improvements is by experiencing them firsthand as they interact with the city, according to Huish.

“It’s one thing to market it to them, it’s another for them to experience it,” he said. lww

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January 2021 | Page 11

Schools flip-flop learning methods to keep providing instruction to students

By Julie Slama | j.slama@mycityjournals.com

“I

didn’t know what to expect,” recalled a Canyons School District parent after his first child’s school changed to virtual learning after positive COVID-19 cases reached a 1% limit for the school.

“But it hasn’t been too bad,” continued Marc Hone, even as his three oldest children who attend three different schools all were learning online in late November, following health guidelines to temporarily close their schools. “We rely on Canvas (online learning platform), teacher emails and frequently look at the schools’ websites to ensure they’re getting their assignments done.”

This has been a different experience from last spring when all schools were suddenly put on soft closure for the rest of the school year following Gov. Gary Herbert’s mandate in response to the pandemic.

With four of his five kids then in school, it was a scramble to meet with teachers who held Zoom meetings at the same time and having limited devices, he said.

“It was a disaster last March, just terrible. We were strapped to devices and it was too much screen time. Some classes, it was hard to get on the livestream,” he said. “Now teachers are better prepared, each student is given a Chromebook from school and we’re OK as long as the internet holds up.”

A Granite School District parent, who only agreed to speak anonymously, said when her two high school students at the same school have flipped to virtual learning, each child has had different experiences.

For her freshman, there has been tears and stress keeping up with a 4.0 grade-point average, but her child has been able to do it.

“She’ll work in front of the computer for six hours, take a break and then, do some more. I asked, ‘Aren’t you done?’ And she said, ‘Well, that was my schoolwork and now, I’m doing my homework.’ And she’ll be there for more hours. This is too much. I think that the quantity needs to be lessened, but the quality needs to remain,” she said.

Her other high schooler, a 4.0 GPA junior, has seen a total disruption in academics, his mother said.

“There’s been a lack of consistency with live instruction and support from some teachers,” she said. “He’s kind of crushed academically because of the stress and everything that goes with it. He’s not sure now that he wants to go to college; kids are starting to lose sight and lose hope. It’s proving to be really, really difficult.”

Throughout Canyons, Granite, Jordan and Murray school districts, several schools, most commonly secondary schools, had transitioned to remote learning up to three times since school opened in August. Each time, in-person teachers flip-flopped their teaching platforms to online.

Most districts are following Salt Lake County’s health guideline of closing schools

Page 12 | January 2021

Middle school student Jack Whitaker gets on Zoom to follow along with his Indian Hills teacher in what seemed to him as “non-stop Zoom meetings” during his online school day. (Photo courtesy of Karla-Ann Whitaker)

for two weeks following an outbreak of to kids who tested positive. It’s hard on kids 15 positive cases at the schools. Canyons to stay up on studies and hard on our teachBoard of Education set a 1% positive case ers preparing for all eight classes online.” threshold to trigger a closure.

In the 12 weeks since school opened, Alta has flipped to virtual learning three Many students and family fear the times. disruptions in education with inconsistent “School became unmanageable with learning when students or teachers are in so many teachers and staff out. It became a quarantine or isolation or when entire challenge to find substitutes and run school,” schools flip-flop.

McGill said, adding 80% of administrators’ Alta High senior Coleman Hone, who time was contact tracing. is also taking classes at Canyons Technical Granger High also has flip-flopped Education Center, said the uncertainty of his three times. schedule has been hard.

“While we are becoming more efficient “I come home from my morning at in our use of technology in attempting to enCTEC to learn that Alta is online,” he said. gage students, it is still difficult,” Principal “This isn’t what I’ve grown up with all my David Dunn said. “Establishing a set schedlife. It’s just inconsistent learning and it ule for teaching and having students log on throws me off.” has been much more effective in getting stuHis principal, Brian McGill, said it’s dents to engage. We set deadlines, but we been challenging for his school community. work with students individually according “It’s really, really difficult on teachers to their needs.” and our kids,” he said. “Students need staHowever, he added, “First term, we did bility. Some kids quarantined one, two and see an increase in students getting ‘F’ grades. three times in six weeks just by sitting next A support system has been put into place to

try and help those students get caught up.”

Cottonwood High flip-flopped twice, sent teams to students’ homes to support students, and has seen improvement in student learning—after implementing ideas from other schools, including a set schedule.

“We found that with our students, and it was toward the end of the first quarter, our participation was terrible,” Principal Terri Roylance said. “Kids just did not follow up at home. I ended up mailing all first quarter report cards home to the families with on the back side a little infographic and letter from me saying why did we fail so many kids and it’s because kids did not engage whatsoever. Not all, but many.”Brighton, like many schools when they flip, learned online teaching is more effective with a schedule.

“The first time, we didn’t require synchronous learning, but instead, let student set their own pace,” Principal Tom Sherwood said. “We learned that they’d procrastinate through the roof, had other concerns at home which made it hard to focus, had troubles with bandwidth, and other issues.

Sandy City Journal

It sounded great, but it didn’t work out that way.”

At Murray High, Principal Scott Wihongi said that transition to online learning needs to find a balance.

“Teachers continue to explore how much is too much when it comes to fully online learning,” he said, adding that the school flipped to virtual twice before December. “They are finding that they have to scale back work a little more since it takes students longer to do it in the home setting.”

Hillcrest High School math teacher Matt Snyder said that when his school flipped around Thanksgiving, they had a schedule for a sense of accountability.

“Students need a structure to be successful; it improves productivity,” he said, adding that the last Wednesday online, only two of his 95 students during the day were absent—about the same as a winter day in a non-COVID-19 year. “Students learn better with interaction. I usually greet students when they come into my classroom, so I make sure I do that when I see them log on. It adds some personality and helps them from feeling so isolated, but if someone were to come by my classroom and see me just talking without anyone here, they’d think I was crazy. It’s strange to be here all alone teaching.”

The transition to virtual learning was not what Hillcrest sophomore Campbell Hone expected.

“I thought I could sleep in, but there’s a schedule and a procedure to take attendance; I can’t wear PJs and we have to have our (Chromebook) camera on,” he said. “Even so, I don’t feel as connected to other students and my teachers; the class discussions online don’t give off the same intense learning vibe. I don’t want to miss

S andy Journal .com

out on my education, but it’s hard to sit in front of a screen.”

While some students are self-motivated and disciplined to learn online, Murray’s Wihongi points out: “In-person learning is much preferable in many areas because of that direct support, connection and structure. Some students are clearly struggling without that.”

Administrators and parents say students are missing education in a social environment.

“Students want to learn in school, have access to teachers and discussions face-toface with their classmates. Learning alone is not the same,” Brighton Principal Sherwood said.

That’s what parent Karla-Ann Whitaker said about her son, Jack, who was learning online while Indian Hills Middle flipped in late November.

“He misses his friends, flirting with girls and seeing his teachers,” she said.

“It’s been a pain in the butt. We’ve had tech issues and called the school, we’ve needed different links to have him connect with his classes, his grades have declined. He needs to be self-motivated and stay off his phone, but it’s hard. I know teachers are trying and we need to do what is safe, but it’s a tough adjustment.”

She said that as a single mother who is working and going to school full-time herself, she relies on him to watch his younger siblings, and that isn’t always taken into account with how much longer it takes to do homework online.

Jack supports his mother’s assessment.

“It’s terrible; it’s non-stop Zoom meetings and teachers can only help so much when they’re there and I’m at home on my own,” he said, adding that he has asked for

more explanation with math in an email or the next Zoom call, but then he’s also waiting for those to happen. “It’s definitely slowing down the progression of learning.”

Indian Hills seventh-grader Addison Hone agrees: “I can’t stop by after school to ask a question to a teacher. I have to email or ask in a Zoom call and hope there’s not a glitch.”

While she appreciates the efforts her teachers have made, Addison said, “It’s a lot harder to be interactive. They can’t see if your hand is up. It seems like there’s a lot more work with less instruction.”

Engagement and a sense of belonging is what is missing this year, administrators said.

“It’s hard when we’re not in-person to engage,” Mountain Creek Middle School Assistant Principal Tim Brooks said. “We are not sure where students are, what they’re doing, what’s going on, and we can’t see their expressions as teachers walk the aisles. We try to overcome that with having cameras on, but it’s still hard. We don’t have the same assemblies and talent shows; teachers can’t give them high-fives.

It’s like giving kids a Snickers and saying eat it, but you can’t take off the wrapper.

We’ve all been learning to be more appreciative, become more patient, get creative and have humor during this time.”

Brighton’s Sherwood agrees: “What’s missing is all that makes high school fun and draws kids in—after-school socials and clubs, wearing school colors to football games, belonging to a school community and buying in to that culture.”

At Alta, McGill said keeping students and staff motivated has been challenging.

“The magic and beauty of what a com-

prehensive high school can bring is taking a hit,” he said. “It is also heartbreaking when students practice and rehearse for upcoming performances, only to find out that they are postponed or canceled.”

Murray’s Wihongi agrees the school year looks different.

“Missing this year is the overall energy and spirit normally associated with our high schools. Our classrooms and hallways are less busy; our activities and assemblies can’t move forward as normal, so it definitely takes the wind out of the sails, so to speak,” he said.

Teachers and administrators are finding positive outcomes to the changes of education this year.

In the classroom, Hillcrest’s Snyder said students are communicating better.

“There’s been phenomenal eye contact with me as masks are forcing eye contact— and better communication. They say what they need to say. Students following the health guidelines and mask mandates has exceeded my expectations. They’re treating me and others around them who may be terrified to be here with care and respect,” he said.

Murray High’s Wihongi looks to the future of education.

“Our method of curriculum delivery and access will be a huge silver lining to this. We’ll have more options for students to access their education and all of our teachers will be able to blend online and in-person instruction much more proficiently,” he said, adding that, “Snow days will become online learning days. But what remains clear, though, is that in-person learning is the most effective method of learning, hands down.” l

January 2021 | Page 13

A ready and willing Nurse Ables helps COVID patient safely connect with her family

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

H

eroic stories of healthcare workers have been a highlight of 2020. Utah’s healthcare workers do amazing work every day, mostly without recognition. RN Justin Ables works in the ICU at Alta View Hospital, and in November he helped an older COVID patient connect with her family in a meaningful way.

“I was Betty’s nurse and had been working with her for several days. I was in contact with her family as much as possible. Sometimes the updates were bad news. I didn’t see a lot of good things happening, and the deck was stacked against her,” Ables said.

Betty “Nana” Donaldson of Holladay is 81 years old, and her husband Jack passed away Oct. 16. She had strong family support, but when she was admitted to the hospital with COVID, precautions kept her from having any face-to-face visitors.

“She was requiring a lot of oxygen, and we thought she’d probably end up on a breathing tube, which isn’t good.

“But then the tide turned. We saw marked improvement. ‘Today she stood at the bedside, today she walked to the window, today she sat in her chair.’ It doesn’t sound like much, but in COVID recovery terms, that’s like running a marathon,” Ables said.

Ables felt a connection to “Nana,” who he says is “unstoppable.” He loved the Tennessee native’s attitude: “You can’t keep a country girl down.”

“I wondered if because of her husband she might quickly follow him. But one day she looked straight at me and told me she couldn’t die because ‘I have things to do here,’” Ables said.

The happy day came when Nana would get transferred from the ICU to the regular medical/surgical floor, and there were a few tests Ables needed to take her for along the way. That’s when he got a great idea.

“I realized that we’d be passing by an entrance that wasn’t often used. I wanted to take her out in the sunlight and fresh air for a few moments. And then it came to me: What if, when we passed by, her granddaughter just happened to be out there at a safe distance?

I talked to my colleagues and got the OK,” Ables said.

It turned out that Tara Nichols, Nana’s granddaughter, spread the word. As Ables and Nana approached the entrance, the automatic doors opened and 25 family members with signs and balloons cheered for Nana.

Her physical therapist helped her show off by standing up and attempting a few steps.

“I don’t have the words to thank Justin and the rest of the staff at Alta View. He made our dreams come true that day,” Nichols said.

Nana’s improvement was even sweeter because they’d had a scare a few days before the transfer.

“That was a Tuesday, and the Saturday before that she had called everyone in the family. She was getting worse and she didn’t

Page 14 | January 2021

know if she would make it through the night.

She called us all to say goodbye. It was the hardest phone call of my life,” Nichols said.

When she made it through the night, the family was thrilled. “She’s strong. She’s a fighter. She had been taking care of her husband round the clock for the past two months before he passed away. And she said she wanted to be here and live,” Nichols said.

Nana’s family said that seeing her taken care of in such a personal way was very comforting. “We could tell by the way the staff treated her that they really cared,” Nichols said.

Nana was discharged from the hospital on Dec. 4, and Nichols said that she’s at home with 24/7 care. “But she’s recovering.

She’s a feisty woman.”

Ables appreciated getting to know Nana’s family, who he says was “a joy to talk to, really open and kind people, generous with their spirit. They called her every day. I learned what a big part of their lives she is, and vice versa,” Ables said.

As case numbers rise, even with a vaccine on the horizon, Ables hopes that people will continue to be vigilant and take precautions. When the healthcare system is strained, he and his colleagues don’t have the time and energy to give their patients the highest level of care.

“You get into nursing because you want to help, and you’d do just about anything for your patients. As caregivers we internalize their loneliness and isolation. But when there’s a strain on our system, the extras are the first to go, the back rubs and the chats at the bedside.

“You start to think, ‘If I stay longer with this patient, then my other patient won’t get their antibiotic on time.’ They are impossible choices. And I have to give Intermountain Healthcare big props—they’ve gotten us the resources we need and brought in travel nurses,” Ables said.

Ables said the concern is there every day that as a caregiver he’s taking risks. Every time he goes into a patient’s room, he wonders if this is the day that he missed covering up correctly or doesn’t have all his PPE on. Is today the day that he gets COVID? “When you hear that facilities are at 85% capacity, it refers to room space. You can put beds anywhere. But the main resource that provides good care is the workers.

Some days we’re struggling to provide the very basics of care to people, so when there’s a circumstance to provide extraordinary care, you have to jump on it,” Ables said.

“I was anticipating a few people driving by in their cars. When I turned the corner and saw dozens of people cheering and holding signs, I couldn’t help but tear up. It will be one of the highlights of my career. She basked in the sunlight, it was magical. I can’t describe it any other way,” Ables said. l

Partners in crime: RN Justin Ables and recovering COVID patient Betty “Nana” Donaldson cooked up the perfect plot to help her see her family from a safe distance at Alta View Hospital in November. (Photo courtesy Justin Ables)

COOKING WITH CHEF SHARON LIAPIS Cooking with Sharon, LLC

2021 Cooking Classes!

Participate by Zoom from your own home.

801.918.7142 | sharon@mealswithsharon.com www.mealswithsharon.com

Upcoming Dates

January 15 - Soup & Sandwich Class $80 per couple

February 19 - Chocolate in Every Course (Dinner & Wine Pairings)

$100 per couple + $15 for wine pairings

I prep and deliver the ingredients along with the recipe to participants homes on Thursday evening and we cook together on Friday at 6:00 PM.

Sandy City Journal

JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2021 I N T HI S I S S UE: Bradburn Brief ................................1

Alta Canyon Sports Center..................3

Code Enforcement Corner ..................1

River Oaks Golf Course......................3

Planning Commission Schedule. ........1

Sandy Arts Guild ...............................3

Current Job Openings........................1

Parks & Recreation ...........................4

A Safer Place - Winter Tips.................2

Snow Removal Reminders .................4

Sandy City Economic Development.....2

Christmas Tree Recycling...................5

Fire Prevention - Quick Tips ...............2

Meet the Team - Street Light Crew .......5

Connect With Us! sandy.utah.gov/citizenconnect

BRAD BUR N BRIEF Dear Sandy Resident, Happy New Year! This year more than most, we are looking forward to the endless possibilities the new year can bring. Looking back over 2020, we all had the opportunity to slow down and focus on what is really important. We cannot know what 2021 will bring, but the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine in the near future means hope of returning to some normalcy.

Winter brings snowfall and skiing, but it also brings in the dreaded winter inversions. Sandy City has taken huge strides over the last few years to decrease the city’s carbon footprint and contribute to cleaner air in our valley. Recently, Utah Clean Cities awarded Sandy City with the Green Fleet Award to recognize our efforts to convert the city fleet over to hybrid vehicles. Sandy City purchased 5 Police hybrid vehicles with plans to purchase two more this year. Those vehicles have saved taxpayers $10,080 in fuel cost and reduced carbon emissions by 64,795 lbs. in the first year!

We are looking forward to even more cost and emission decreases as our older fleet vehicles age out and are replaced with clean vehicles in the future.

Last month, we kicked off a partnership with Rocky Mountain Power to move the city towards a Wattsmart community. Community stakeholders engage in workshops to develop a vision, goals, and action plan that reflects how the community wants to shape its energy use and supply. Plans create a focus on developing energy efficiency, renewable generation, electric vehicles, and a progressive grid. To learn more about this initiative, please visit sandy.utah.gov/sustainability and go to Wattsmart under the partners’ section.

For more information about the efforts Sandy City is making towards sustainability, please visit sandy.utah.gov/sustainability. Don’t forget you can always get more information by going to the City websites sandy.utah.gov and SandyNow.com and accessing Sandy City’s social media channels Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube for daily updated information. You can also send me a direct email at mayor@sandy.utah.gov.

It is an honor to serve you!

Mayor Kurt Bradburn I S S U E # 79

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1 – F E B R U ARY 20 21

Code Enforcement Corner Political and Non-commercial Personal Signage The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that displaying personal political and other types of signs on residential properties is a unique, important, and protected means of communication. In Sandy, non-commercial personal opinion signs may be displayed on private property with the property owner’s permission.

Political signs shall not be displayed on public property nor within the public right of way (including the park strip).

Reference/footnote: Land Development Code Title 21, Chapter 26, Section 8, Temporary Signs.

2021 Planning Commission Schedule January 21 February 4 & 18 March 4 & 18 April 1 & 15 May 6 & 20 June 3 & 17 July 1 & 15 August 5 & 19 September 2 & 16 October 7 & 21 November 4 & 18 December 2 & 16

CURRENT JOB OPENINGS Full Time • Crossing Guard • Official/Referee • PW Snow Plow Driver/Laborer

Part-Time Non-Benefitted & Seasonal • Parks Irrigation Specialist Crew Leader • Street Maintenance Worker • Utility Billing Clerk Visit link for more available positions:

www.sandy.utah.gov/jobs

P A G E

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A Safer Place - Winter Tips Winter can bring with it a variety of potentially hazardous and dangerous conditions. From possible impacts to roadways, outdoor activities, infrastructure, and more, being prepared can bring you and your family some peace of mind this winter season. As we gear up for Utah snowstorms, here are some suggestions to provide a safer and more alacritous response: 1. Winter Driving - Snow, sleet, and ice can lead to hazardous road conditions. Prepare yourself and your vehicle for the upcoming winter season.

2. Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Carbon Monoxide detectors save lives. At least two people die each day from carbon monoxide poisoning in January. If your CO detector alerts, leave your home immediately and call 911. Seek prompt medical attention if you suspect CO poisoning; symptoms include feeling dizzy, light-headed, or nauseous.

3. Enjoying Winter Weather - Whether you are skiing, hiking, sledding, or skating, take safety precautions like learning necessary skills and using appropriate weather gear for the sport. It is also essential to understand the signs of and basic treatments for frostbite and hypothermia.

4. Shoveling Snow - Shoveling snow or using a snowblower are among winter’s most grueling activities. High levels of activity and overexertion in cold temperatures put many people at risk of injury, including muscle strains, broken bones, and chest pain, especially in those that have inactive lifestyles.

5. Avalanche - Avalanches can be big or small, wet, or dry, but they are masses of snow moving down a slope at their root. Avalanches can be deadly, and an average of 27 people die in U.S. avalanches each year. Whether you ski, snowboard, snowshoe, hike, snowmobile, or climb, anyone who spends time in snowy mountains can benefit from avalanche safety education.

For more helpful tips, please visit: sandy.utah.gov/emergencytips

SANDY CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Focusing on a vibrant and healthy future At its heart, economic development is about building healthy economies and communities to have a healthy and vibrant city.

These are the areas that the Sandy City Economic Development Department and the Redevelopment Agency of Sandy City focus on both now and in the future to help the City stay healthy and vibrant.

• Creating a Stable and Increasing Tax Base: The revenue, both property tax and sales tax, provided by economic development activities supports, maintains, and improves critical local infrastructure and services, such as roads, parks, stormwater, water, public safety, emergency medical services, and other public services.

• Business Recruitment and Job Development: Working with property owners, brokers, and site selectors, the Economic Development Department recruits quality companies that will provide better wages, benefits, and opportunities for advancement. This allows residents to live and work within Sandy City.

• Business Retention: The Economic Development Department partners with local businesses to expand and grow their business; thus, they are more likely to stay in the City and continue contributing to the economy.

• Economic Diversification: A diversified economic base helps expand the local economy and reduces the City’s vulnerability to a single business sector.

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P A G E

• Self-Sufficiency: A more robust economic base means public services are less dependent on intergovernmental influences and alliances, which can change with each election.

• Productive Use of Property: Property used for its “highest and best use” maximizes that property’s value, which adds to the development quality of the City and supports stable revenues for City services.

• Quality of Life: More local City revenue, a diverse job base, quality goods and services, and entertainment and recreation opportunities raise the economic tide for the entire community, including the overall standard of living and residents’ quality of life.

Economic Development plays a critical role in developing the City’s identity and sense of place.

FIRE PREVENTION QUICK TIPS Tips from the U.S Fire Administration • Install and test carbon monoxide alarms at least once a month.

• Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.

• Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container and keep it outside at least 10 feet from your home and any nearby buildings.

• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators or space heaters.

• Plug only one heat-producing appliance (such as a space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.

• Never use an oven to heat your home.

• Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

FIRE DEPARTMENT EVENTS First Aid, CPR and AED Class • 1/13/21 (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

• 1/27/21 (6:00 - 10:00 p.m.)

• 2/3/21 (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

• 2/17/21 (6:00 - 10:00 p.m.)

• 4/7/21 (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

• 4/21/21 (6:00 - 10:00 p.m.)

• 5/5/21 (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

• 5/19/21 (6:00 - 10:00 p.m.)

All take place at Station 31: 9010 S. 150 E. Visit sandy.utah.gov/fire FIRE CLASSES FOR THE YEAR So far, we haven’t scheduled out all of the classes for the year due to the unknowns with COVID. The CPR classes above have been scheduled, but the rest of the CPR classes for the year may be determined soon. As far as CERT, there are tentative dates of each Tuesday between Jan. 26 – Mar. 2. The other academies and classes are in the air. The following is what we did last year, so maybe we might repeat these same classes: • CPR Training • CERT Classes • Citizen’s Academy • Career Day (16-20-year-old) • Babysitting Classes (12-14-year-old) • Junior Firefighter Academy (Summer) (8-10-year-old) • Trainings for Businesses • School Fire Prevention Programs Please check out our website for dates, registration and more information: sandy.utah.gov/fireprograms

River Oaks Golf Course 9300 South Riverside Drive, Sandy, Utah (801) 568-4653 www.sandy.utah.gov/riveroaks

9565 S. Highland Drive, Sandy, Utah 84092 To register for classes/events: altacanyonsportscenter.com

ALTA CANYON MEMBERSHIP SALE

Jan. 1-31 Get the biggest discount of the season right here at Alta Canyon Sports Center. 20% off all annual memberships, aerobics punch cards (limit 2), and A+ memberships. This once-a-year discount is only available Jan. 1-31. So, don’t wait. Sign up now!

COMMIT TO FIT SERIES

Year-round Get committed, mind, body, and soul to your fitness journey in 2021. All year long, Alta Canyon Sports Center will be offering specialized classes, opportunities, and events to help you reach your fitness goals. Visit us on Facebook and Instagram for all the details on how to register and participate. We look forward to seeing all the success this year has to offer.

Commit right off the bat with our excellent personal trainer Tessa Croshaw for a month-long virtual Power Hour Classes. Try our first of many specialized events featuring Yoga instructor Angie Pferdner.

POWER HOUR

Jan. 4-27 Join us for virtual workouts Monday and Wednesday at 6:30 a.m., from the safety of your own home. If you can’t make it at 6:30, don’t worry, the workout will be waiting for you all day. Just log in when you are ready to work and get it done! Registrar online or over the phone to access to the workouts.

Member: $50 • Non-Member: $60

WE ARE

OPEN!

River Oaks does not close because of a little snow or cold air! We offer Winter classes and lessons. Keep your golf game going with a little “tune-up” in preparation for the 2021 golf season.

INMOTION JUNIOR GOLF – WINTER LESSONS B A N Q U E T R O O M AT S A N D Y C I T Y

D R I V I N G R A N G E AT S A N DY C I T Y

NORTH RANGE TEACHING ACADEMY

Junior Golf for ages 4 – 17 We will be holding indoor Junior Programs from Nov. – Mar. Heated hitting stalls and an indoor putting green allows us to include all aspects of the game including, short game practice, range balls, in-depth instruction, video analysis, and rules & etiquette.

Classes begin Jan. 8 and run for 9 – 10-weeks. Prices range from $160-$300.

Classes have a maximum of 10 kids, so register early.

For more information and to register, please visit: inmotionjuniorgolf.com

INDOOR GOLF LESSONS & NEW CLUB FITTING

Are you looking to buy a new club before the snow melts? River Oaks has a state-ofthe-art indoor golf studio where we can fit you for your new clubs. Our club fitters are trained directly by the manufacturers, so you will get the best fit possible. Fittings are FREE if you purchase the club from us, and we match any local price on the equipment.

Our indoor studio is also used for winter golf lessons. Golf lessons include a video summary of the lesson, so you don’t forget what you learned throughout the year. You will always have something to go back to. Lessons are taught by Ryan Holt, who was named to the Golf Digest Best Teachers in Utah List. To schedule your fitting & lesson, email Ryan at ryanholtgolf@gmail.com.

FIRST RESPONDER YOGA WORKSHOP

Jan. 6 or 9 Being a First Responder is an important, stressful, and often times thankless job.

PTSD, heart attacks, suicides, and other stressed based health issues are all side effects of The Job. First Responder Yoga is designed for any and all types of people looking for an outlet, guide, or relief from the rigors of the job. The workshop will include a brief lecture about the nature of yoga and the healing process, followed by yoga mat work specific to the rebuilding of our bodies’ natural coping mechanisms. Pre-Registration is required. Visit us online or over the phone to reserve your spot.

Jan. 6, 6:30 - 8 p.m. • $7.00 per person Jan. 9, 1-2:30 p.m. • $7.00 per person.

I S S U E # 79

S andy Journal .com

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 1 – F E B R U ARY 20 21

P A G E

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January 2021 | Page 17

BOYS BASEBALL

Registration begins Tuesday, Jan. 19 Age: 7 – 13 yrs.

Cost: $52 – $57 Registration Deadline: Mar. 17

GIRLS SOFTBALL

PARK S & RE C R EAT I O N Did You Know?

We have Recreation Soccer leagues for boys & girls of all ages (Pre-kindergarten to 12th grade). Games are played on weeknights at 5:30 p.m. or Saturday between 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., depending on the league. Referees and volunteer coaches are always needed and appreciated. To be a referee, apply now at sandy.utah.gov/jobs.

• Registration begins Tuesday, Jan. 19 • Deadline Wednesday, Mar. 3 • Late registration starts Thursday, Mar. 4 • Fee: $52-$62 depending on grade • Online registration – sandy.utah.gov/registration • In-person registration – 440 E. 8680 S. Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Volunteer to coach by indicating on the registration form.

2021 SPRING SPORTS SOCCER

Registration begins Tuesday, Jan. 19 Age: 7 – 12 yrs.

Cost: $47 – $57 Registration Deadline: Mar. 3

T-BALL/COACH PITCH

Registration begins Tuesday, Jan. 19 Age: 4 – 6 yrs.

Cost: $35 Registration Deadline: Mar. 17

ADULT SOFTBALL

Registration: Jan.19– Feb. 26 (Returning 2020 Sandy Teams) Mar. 2 – Until Full (New Teams) Cost: $555/Team

36th Annual Men’s Snowball Softball Tournament

Join us for our 36th annual Snowball Softball Tournament. Grab your friends, co-works, family members, and neighbors, form a team, and come play softball in the winter.

Double Elimination format. Games played with field conditions as is, rain or snow.

Dates: Jan. 29, 30 Location: Bicentennial Park – 530 E. 8680 S. Quarry Ben Park – 9020 S. Quarry Bend Parkway Deadline: Jan. 21 by 5 p.m.

Cost: $290/Team

Registration begins Tuesday, Jan. 19 Grades: Pre-School – 9th (Must be four years old before the season begins Mar. 27, 2021) Coed 10th – 12th Cost: $52 – $62 Registration Deadline: Mar. 3

* I N P E R S O N R E G I S T R AT I O N : Sandy Parks & Recreation - 440 E. 8680 S. Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (801) 568-2900

O N L I N E R E G I S T R AT I O N :

sandy.utah.gov/registration (available for most sports & programs)

SNOW REMOVAL REMINDERS When winter weather hits, the Public Works Department is hard at work clearing roads for safer travel. The priority is to make all main arterial roads passable for public safety, schools, and fire stations. As long as the snow continues to fall, the first goal is to keep the main roads clear. If that is the case, it is unlikely that residential routes will be reached immediately because main roads must be repeatedly plowed. Residents must keep cars and debris out of the road so that snowplows and other maintenance vehicles can work with little or no interruptions.

RESIDENT REMINDERS:

As Sandy City residents, each property owner plays a role in keeping roads and sidewalks free of snow and ice.

Actions not allowed: • Blowing or pushing snow into any city street.

• Parking on city streets during a snowstorm or during the 24 hours after the end of the storm.

(Depending on the situation, police officers are authorized to either cite residents or have vehicles towed if they are not in compliance with any ordinance).

Homeowner responsibilities: • Removing the snow in front of your mailbox and fire hydrants once plows have been through the neighborhood.

• Clearing snow from sidewalks in front of your home within 24 hours of a storm. (If possible, please assist elderly or infirmed neighbors).

4

For questions regarding snow removal, please call: Streets - Public Works - (801) 568-2999 Private Sidewalks - Code Enforcement - (801) 568-7254 Parking Issues - Police Dispatch - (801) 799-3000 City buildings, trails & parking lots - Parks & Recreation (801) 568-2900 During a snowstorm, if you would like to see the locations for the Sandy City snowplows, please visit: sandy.utah.gov/plowtracker.

P A G E

Page 18 | January 2021

Sandy City Journal

Christmas Tree Recycling Sandy City will have areas identified at the following locations for the collection of Christmas trees from Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, until Monday morning, Jan. 11, 2021: Storm Mountain Park

11400 S. 1000 E.

Bell Canyon Park

11400 S. 1700 E.

Flat Iron Mesa Park

8600 S. 1700 E. (Lower west parking lot)

Highpoint Park

7800 S. 1000 E.

Crescent Park

11000 S. 230 E.

Wildflower Park

9939 S. Wildflower Road

Parks and Cemetery Shop

9120 S. 700 E.

Please ensure that all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and garland are removed from the trees as well as stands. Trees that have been flocked should not be taken to any of these locations since they are not recyclable. Flocked trees can be cut into pieces and placed in your waste container. Finally, bulk waste, garbage, yard waste, and commercial dumping of trees are not acceptable. If you have any questions, call Public Works at (801) 568-2999 or Parks and Recreation at (801) 568-2900.

Holiday Waste Collection Since Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on a Friday this year, all waste collection services on this day will be delayed until Saturday.

Meet the Streetlight Team Public Utilities manages and maintains approximately 8,500 streetlights in Sandy City. This responsibility falls on our streetlight team’s shoulders, which comprises four workers who do their best to maintain the streetlight system in our community.

Streetlight problems vary greatly and require different lengths of time to repair. They can be as simple as a lamp being burnt out, or it can require a more complex repair, such as trying to locate an underground wire that has been cut. If a streetlight has been destroyed by a vehicle, then it will require a full replacement. Most repairs are usually completed within one week, as we strive to resolve any issues or complaints that we receive quickly.

The Public Utilities Department has been hard at work researching ways to lower the costs and increase street lighting efficiencies. There were many streetlights installed in 1999–2000. Now, nearly 20-years old, these are nearing the ends of their useful life and need replacement. As they go out, we have been replacing them with highefficiency fixtures.

The streetlight staff helped spark manufacturer development of a new LED retrofit lighting technology that is not only cheaper but more efficient and has a 50,000-hour guarantee. These new LED lights support Sandy’s Sustainable 360° initiative and, with the help of a Rocky Mountain Power rebate, will help save the city $46,000 per year and save up to 75% on power costs while significantly improving our dark sky compliance by reducing uplight and backlight to homes. With the rebate, the lights pay for themselves in 9 months. The total annual saving after the project is complete in 3 years will be almost $150,000. That is at least $6 Million in present value savings over the 20-year life of the bulbs! These savings will be reinvested into the system and more than doubles our funding for streetlight capital improvements. Once complete, the LED lights will save over 2.0 Million Kilowatt-hours and will reduce Sandy’s greenhouse gas carbon footprint by over 6,000 tons per year!

Our streetlight manager, Trevor Larsen, actively pursued this upgraded technology, whose efforts helped inspire the light manufacturers to design a retrofit bulb that fit in our old light ballast or sockets. The investigation and pilot testing of this new technology were supported by Sandy’s two light technicians, Ryan Grygla and Rod Hall, and our senior engineer and streetlight design expert, Lennie Chanthaphuang. Your Sandy staff is hard at work, saving you money and making Sandy a greener, safer place.

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January 2021 | Page 21

Senior communities take proactive, streamlined approach to COVID testing

By Stephanie DeGraw | s.degraw@mycityjournals.com

C

edarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak are reopening and allowing visitation. They are also restarting group activities through unique testing designed to keep residents, families and associates safe through utilizing rapid, “pooled” COVID-19 testing. These senior living communities are taking a page from a sport’s playbook to create their version of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Bubble.

The NBA successfully implemented a bubble to safely finish out their 2020 season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports facility in Orlando, Florida. “Their strategy included restricting anyone into the bubble except for those deemed necessary, including players, coaches, certain media personnel and referees,” Wade Vest, executive director of Sagewood at Daybreak, said.

Vest hopes to create their version of the NBA bubble. The new testing strategy is sustainable, inexpensive, and doesn’t require extra work for the staff. The Cedarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak communities are partnering with SiREM Labs for the testing.

There will be two pool sizes depending on the size of the community, Vest said. The small pool will be up to 50 people, and the large pool will be up to 100. Suppose there is a positive test in the collection. In that case, everyone in the pool will be Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tested to determine the positive individual. By doing this, each community will find out who has COVID, including asymptomatic spreaders.

This new testing allows communities to ease restrictions safely and eliminate quarantining if a resident has to leave for a doctor’s appointment or other emergencies. “Frequent testing provides a level of assurance that COVID can be identified quickly,” said Ed Ward, vice president of operations of Kisco, the parent company of Cedarwood and Sagewood. “This approach is sustainable, relatively inexpensive, and requires minimal extra work for the staff. Before saliva testing, nurses were conducting nasal tests and spent upwards of 20 hours per week administering the tests. With this new testing strategy, anyone on staff can collect the samples, giving nurse’s time back in their days to focus on resident care.”

Families have two options to visit their loved ones. First, they can come in without a test and stay in an area set up by our team with extra safety precautions in place, including a plexiglass screen and social distancing in place. Visitors and residents will be required to wear a mask during these visits. Visitors will also have their temperature taken.

The other option is for visiting family members to take a PCR saliva test. The saliva test is non-invasive and straightforward.

“After providing a saliva sample, we send the test to the lab, and it returns the results to the

Page 22 | January 2021

Ann Herman, a senior community resident, gives herself the new COVID spit test. She will then put her test into a special bag to ensure it stays cold. (All photos provided by Kisco Senior Living)

Above left: Gayle Gois puts the spit tests in the refrigerator to make sure they stay cold. (All photos provided

by Kisco Senior Living) Above right: Gayle Gois takes the new COVID spit test, which is administrated to associates twice a week.

She’s then ensuring it stays cold, before being delivered to the testing lab. Kim Cheeseborough is assisting with getting tests ready to ship. (All photos provided by Kisco Senior Living)

family and our community. Once results are received, the family member has a 24-hour window to visit their loved one. This type of visit takes place in a common area but does not include a plexiglass barrier,” Vest said.

The senior communities, Cedarwood at Sandy and Sagewood at Daybreak, are completing pooled saliva testing for all residents weekly. For those considered high risk, the pooled saliva testing will be twice a week.

“The saliva samples are gathered, and we receive the results either the next day or 48 hours later,” Vest said. “This pooled saliva testing is completed twice a week for all staff.”

Other safety measures for visitors include a temperature check upon entry and the following questions: • Have you tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 30 days?

• Are you experiencing cough, fever, chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, or any other symptoms?

• Have you experienced prolonged close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 30 days?

One challenge is that staff members go home to their families at the end of each day.

Another risk is when their residents need to attend to essential visits outside the community. “This innovative and unique strategy also allows communities to ease restrictions safely and eliminate quarantining if a resident has to leave for a doctor’s appointment or other emergencies,” Vest said.

The senior communities have been proactive in developing an aggressive testing strategy. “Testing as frequently as we do allows us to safely continue operations and make adjustments as necessary if we do have positive test results,” Vest said.

There are around 300 people tested every Tuesday in these senior communities and another 150 on Thursdays. A large pool would be 100 samples or less, and a smaller pool would be 50 samples or less. Those tested provide a saliva sample, and it’s all pooled into one test.

“If all results are negative, we continue to go about our day-to-day operations including wellness programming, dining, salon services, etc.,” Vest said. “If one of the pools tests positive, we do two things: First, we isolate those who are part of the positive pool.

Second, we test everyone in this pool with an individual test. The rapid return of these results allows us to isolate the pool and help prevent the spread of the infection.”

The communities have been doing PCR saliva testing since November. Out of 40 pools sent to the lab for testing over eight weeks, one pool returned positive. In this case, it was a pool that consisted of staff members. “The day we received the positive results, we were able to test all staff members and determine who was positive with COVID,” Vest said.

Another type of test they have access to is the Point of Care tests. Having these testing supplies on site has been very effective.

The communities can frequently test if any of the staff or residents of Sagewood are showing symptoms.

Austin Sorenson, the associate executive director of Sagewood at Daybreak, helps manage testings. “Our residents have been very thankful for the proactive approach we have taken as a community to do our best to keep them safe,” Sorenson said. “It is a lot of work to carry out the testing process each week, but invaluable as we work hard to keep everyone safe. Our parent company, Kisco, has made substantial investments in these testing tools and resources. As a community, we have been very adaptive as we work to navigate through these challenging times.” l

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Best photos of 2020: Sandy

Top: The new auditorium in the performing arts center at Alta High will seat 1,400 students. (Photo courtesy of Brian Peterson/VCBO Architecture) Above: Alta High students Madi Ison, Carson Elison, Caitlyn Larsen and Natalie Hood practice writing essays before schools were put on soft closure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Alta High yearbook staff) Below: Jordan baseball takes on Riverton during pool play of the Last Chance Tournament. Jordan would go on to take the No. 2 seed in its pool beating eventual winners American Fork (9-8), eventual runners-up Riverton (8-7) and losing to Bingham 6-4. The Beetdiggers then beat Syracuse before losing to Riverton and Copper Hills in the double elimination portion. (Travis Barton/City Journals)

Above left:The crowd applauds Chief Greg Severson following the city council’s unanimous approval of his appointment as the next chief of the Sandy City Police Department in February. (Justin Adams/City Journals) Above right: Eastmont Middle teacher Emma Moss, who is known to make learning fun, was named Canyons School District’s teacher of the year. (Photo courtesy of Emma Moss/Eastmont Middle) Above: White City Mayor Paulina Flint, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and Sandy Mayor Kurt Bradburn prepare to cut the ribbon for a new bridge. The new bridge connects two trails on either side of Dimple Dell Park. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

Page 24 | January 2021

Sandy City Journal

Aboveleft: Alex Kuwahara has loved farming and agriculture his whole life. (Justin Adams/City Journals) Above right: Hayden Duffin on a sunset rollerblade ride on the Porter Rockwell trail. (Tavia Dutson/City Journals)

Top: Dozens of regular dogs became Dippin’ Dogs at Alta Canyon Sports Center’s annual event on Sept.

12 and 19. (Heather Lawrence/City Journals) Above: Raghad (left) and Salam’s lives will be featured in a documentary by Waterford student filmmakers Tioné Hoeckner, seated in the chair, Isabel Hiestand with the headphones, and Lucza Brewer, behind the camera. (Photo courtesy Romella Hasratian) Left: Wuilmer Garcia goes to round the keeper against Timpview during the Graduation Cup in Farmington.

The Beetdiggers would go on to win 4-0. (Travis Barton/City Journals) Below: andy City Councilmember Monica Zoltanski (middle) rides through the tunnel on horseback. The new tunnel connects residents on either side of the TRAX line to urban attractions on the west and to the active trails of Dimple Dell Park on the east. (Justin Adams/City Journals)

S andy Journal .com

January 2021 | Page 25

Posting Date December 21, 2020

1. MOVIES: In how many movies did Sean Connery play the character James Bond?

2. ADVERTISING SLOGANS: What product is touted as “the fabric of our lives”?

3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many laps do drivers have to complete in the Indianapolis 500 race?

4. HISTORY: How many Pyramids of Giza (Eqypt) were constructed?

5. MUSIC: Which pop song repeats the chorus, “Why can’t you see? You belong with me”?

6. LITERATURE: What kind of novel is written in a series of letters?

7. MEASUREMENTS: How many cups are in 1 pint?

8. MYTHOLOGY: What is the home of the Greek gods?

9. ANATOMY: How much of the adult human body is made up of water?

10. GEOGRAPHY: What is the most densely populated continent on Earth?

Trivia Test Answerst 1. Seven; 2. Cotton; 3. 200; 4. Three; 5. “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift; 6. Epistolary; 7. 2 cups; 8. Olympus; 9. About 60%; 10. Asia

Page 26 | January 2021

© 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

Sandy City Journal

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January 2021 | Page 27

Ski resorts open with COVID-19 protections in place

By Tavia Dutson | t.dutson@mycityjournals.com

A

s Utahns enter a new season during the COVID-19 pandemic, they can turn to the mountains for a safe place to recreate. Although resorts up Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons were forced to close early during the spring of the 2019-20 season, they have been working tirelessly to provide locals with a safe 2020-21 season.

Ski resorts started planning for this season as soon as they shut down in mid-March but have had to adjust those plans as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed. As the rest of the state adjusted to each new mandate as it came, resorts were charged with predicting how current protocols would affect a season that was still months away.

“We had to wait for so many pieces to fall into place, and there were so many things that we just couldn’t see from that far out.

The conversation has been ongoing throughout the year,” said Sara Huey, communications manager for Solitude Mountain Resort.

Utah resorts were tasked with altering their operations to fit this unprecedented season, but they were not without help. Many Utah resorts have ties to ski resorts all over the world. By looking to resorts in Australia and South America, they were able to see how resorts in the Southern hemisphere dealt with their winter season. The southern hemisphere gets the majority of their snowfall from June to December.

“We looked to see what they were doing, what worked for them, what didn’t work,” said Andria Huskinson, communications manager for Alta Ski Resort.

These foreign ties have been helpful in winter planning, but the camaraderie among the resorts in the Cottonwood canyons is what will keep the resorts open with the ever-changing nature of this season.

“Utah is such a unique environment for operating a ski resort because we really do all have each other’s backs,” Huey said. “We work together really closely when it comes to the nitty gritty of day-to-day operations and sharing insight on what’s working, new ideas, and things like that.”

Although there will likely be changes in state mandates and protocols throughout the winter, ski resorts have proven to be flexible.

Resorts with summer operations have already been adjusting throughout the summer while allowing guests.

Changes to expect In accordance with state laws, all four ski resorts in the Cottonwoods (Alta, Brighton, Solitude and Snowbird) will be requiring face coverings inside restaurants and lodges and outside when a distance of 6 feet cannot be maintained. Although neck gaiters are allowed, skiers are encouraged to fold their gaiters or double up to ensure safety.

Physical distancing will be maintained at resorts in high traffic areas. To keep social

Page 28 | January 2021

Skiers ride the chair lift on Opening Day at Solitude. (Photo credit Eric Schramm and Solitude Mountain Resort)

distancing in lift lines, Alta Ski Resort has coined a new term.

“In our lift lanes we have what we call ghost lanes. There will be a line for skiers separated by an empty line,” Huskinson said.

“And naturally your skis in front and back keep you separated.”

Many resorts have used the pandemic to update their technology. Upgrades that have been passed over due to budget restraints are suddenly in high demand. Snowbird has added a new app that helps determine wait times on ski lifts and Solitude has added touchless pay for parking.

“We are often limited by budget, which we balance with need. The pandemic shifted that balance and suddenly we anticipated a demand among our guests. In order to mitigate transmission, we needed to prioritize these changes,” Huey said.

Resorts are combining these new technologies with data they have collected through the years. Solitude looked to statistics to determine how to keep their resort at capacity. Solitude has ended same day lift ticket sales so that they can use their estimates to stay under capacity. The pandemic has demanded these changes, but many of the initiatives will have long-lasting positive effects.

“Ultimately, I think our efforts to address the pinch points through arrival where people are necessarily concentrated will contribute to a more streamlined experience even years down the road,” Huey said.

Although restaurants on the slopes are only operating at half capacity, guests still have many of the same options. Alta Ski Re-

sort has even added two more grab and go food trucks in each of their parking lots to spread out guests while still offering an array of options. Restaurants will be unavailable as “warming spots” this winter and resorts are encouraging skiers to use their cars to warm up and take a break during the day.

As far as travel to and from resorts, the Utah Department of Transportation will be working closely with the resorts and the Unified Police Department to keep roadways safe as they have in years past. For information on road conditions, visit udot.utah.gov.

What looks the same In these unprecedented times, skiers can rest easy knowing their favorite resorts will look largely the same. Resorts are committed to providing the same top-tier experience that Utah skiing is known for. The nature of skiing as a physically distanced sport has allowed ski resorts to make small modifications to their operations that ultimately keep people doing what they love.

“Passholders should expect an experience that is pretty familiar to them. They should be able to arrive, park and head to the lift as usual,” Huey said.

Many resorts are still offering lessons to those looking to learn a new skill. Alta Ski Resort is only allowing private lessons, but they will look very similar to past years. Solitude is offering group lessons to ages 7+ and have only omitted the lunchtime gathering to limit time spent inside.

Something that will always stay the same is the terrain. The Cottonwood canyons have near limitless space for skiers and

snowboarders to explore. Being out on the mountain will feel just as it always has.

Many resorts doubt they will reach the capacities set this year because of the vast area. Resorts like Solitude and Alta have been limited in past years by their parking ability, so veteran skiers can expect similar resort availability this year.

Check websites for updated information As the ski resorts stay flexible and continue updating to meet state guidelines, they ask that skiers keep an eye on their websites and social media channels. With all the changes, it is best to stay informed before heading up for a day on the mountain.

“We’re telling people to know before you go. We’re really encouraging people to check the website before they even get in the car to come up,” Huskinson said.

All Utah resort websites have up-to-date info on what they are doing to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. For resorts like Alta that limit parking, they will use their website to give estimates on when parking will fill up.

Knowing before you go will help skiers stay safe while providing them with more information than ever.

Lastly, ski resorts ask that guests be patient with employees and other skiers. As this is a new experience for everyone, there will likely be small hiccups along the way.

“We are doing our best to communicate clearly what people can expect,” Huey said.

“We need to be nimble and we need to anticipate that change is likely. We just ask that people be patient with that process.” l

Sandy City Journal

UDOT weighing five alternatives for Little Cottonwood Canyon traffic

By Joshua Wood | j.wood@mycityjournals.com

T

he Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has narrowed the list of potential solutions for traffic congestion in Little Cottonwood Canyon to five remaining alternatives. Public input helped add two options to the list, and now UDOT will move forward to evaluate the various impacts of each option to determine the final course of action.

A growing problem for residents, resorts and skiers The problem is well known to most residents in the area, particularly skiers and people who live near the canyons. Traffic up and down Little Cottonwood Canyon on SR 210 is fraught with congestion. This is especially the case on snow days when thousands of skiers head up the canyon in pursuit of fresh powder.

“The road is the worst when skiing is the best,” said Dave Fields, president and general manager of Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort. “It’s super frustrating for locals, destinations and our employees.”

There are many issues that contribute to traffic congestion in the canyon. The twolane SR 210 can no longer accommodate the sheer volume of vehicles traveling up and down the canyon without significant delays.

On days with fresh snowfall, buses have been unable to carry the load at their current capacity. Traffic also gets stopped when illequipped cars cannot handle the slick canyon roads.

Five proposed courses of action UDOT has worked on multiple potential solutions to snarled canyon traffic. The process has included town hall meetings, public comment periods and a continually refined list of options. In summer 2020, UDOT opened a public comment period for residents to offer input on a list of three options.

“We got 6,500 public comments,” said Josh Van Jura, UDOT project manager for the Little Cottonwood Canyon Environmental Impact Statement. “That shows just how passionate people are about the project.”

Among those 6,500 public comments were suggestions for 19 new alternatives.

From those suggestions, UDOT found two that were mentioned repeatedly. After taking time to analyze the viability of those suggestions, UDOT added the pair to the final list of options. “We thought it was something worth looking at to see if it makes sense,” said John Gleason, public information officer at UDOT. “That’s valuable input that they can provide and introduce ideas we hadn’t considered.”

Following the public comment period, the final five alternatives under consideration are: Enhanced bus services This alternative would add more busing capacity without added road capacity to SR 210. It would involve a total of 24 buses

S andy Journal .com

SR 210 quickly fills beyond capacity when the snow falls. (Joshua Wood/City Journals)

running up the canyons each hour carrying 1,008 people per hour during peak times. The price tag for enhanced busing would be an estimated $334 million in capital costs and $10.3 million in operating and maintenance costs each winter.

Enhanced bus with roadway widening The second alternative explored by UDOT involved adding roadway capacity along with enhanced bus services. Bus volume would be the same with 24 buses running during peak hours. A shoulder lane would be added for buses, which would cut travel time up the canyon from 46 to 37 minutes. Capital costs would be an estimated $481 million with $8.3 million in operating and maintenance costs each winter.

Gondola The third option presented by UDOT prior to last summer’s public comment period involved a gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon with bus service from area mobility hubs. It would involve 30 gondolas per hour during peak hours carrying 1,050 people per hour. Capital costs are estimated at $546 million with $8.3 million in annual operating and maintenance costs.

La Caille gondola One of the two transit alternatives added to the final list following the public comment period features a gondola line beginning at a base station on the La Caille property near the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The capacity would be similar to the other gondola option but would feature more parking at the station. It would carry capital costs of $576 million and $6.9 million in annual operating and maintenance costs.

La Caille cog rail The second alternative added following

the public comment period would also originate at the La Caille property but would feature a cog rail, which is a steep grade railway with a toothed rack rail between the rails for added traction and climbing ability. The project would feature cog vehicles running every 15 minutes during peak hours carrying 1,050 people per hour. The project’s capital costs would run an estimated $1.05 billion with annual operating and maintenance costs of $6.3 million.

Evaluating the impacts of each alternative Now that UDOT has defined its final list of five Little Cottonwood Canyon transit alternatives, it has begun work on a draft environmental impact statement. The report is expected to be completed by the summer of 2021.

“Of course the natural environment is so important,” said Van Jura of UDOT. “We’re looking at water quality impacts, wildlife impacts. We’re talking about a water source for hundreds of thousands of people, plus a scenic byway with a natural environment to consider.”

Former Sandy City Councilman Chris McCandless is a fan of the La Caille gondola alternative. He has invested in the property that would serve as the site of the gondola base station if UDOT selected that gondola option. “I recognized that property as a good base station possibility,” McCandless said.

“You have to look at human driving habits and the ability to get there as fast as they can.

Park at the station, then take the gondola.”

UDOT must balance the many factors that will go into the project. Two of the biggest factors include the environmental impact and the cost of the project. “Both money and

impacts will be taken into consideration,” Van Jura said. “As stewards of public money, we have to consider that as well.”

As it prepares the coming environmental impact statement, UDOT will have to consider the impacts of widening the road, building a rail or constructing a gondola line. From a cost standpoint, the cog rail has the highest estimated price tag at over $1 billion, while enhanced busing without additional roadway capacity has the lowest estimated cost at $334 million.

While enhanced busing has the lowest projected cost, it also has its detractors. “I believe that you could add twice as many buses and you still haven’t come close to moving enough people,” said Fields of Snowbird.

“What we need is a long-term solution that addresses the challenge.”

If the over 6,500 public comments from last summer serve as any indication, the project’s ultimate direction impacts a lot of people who feel strongly about the outcome. “A lot of people who are moving here come for the access to recreation,” Fields said. “More people want to have that experience.”

With more people heading up the canyons of the Wasatch Front, decisions regarding the area’s future infrastructure will have a lasting impact. It will impact the millions of people who visit the canyons each year. It will impact hundreds of thousands of people who depend on water running down the canyons. It will also impact wildlife and habitat already under stress from development.

“At this point, all of the alternatives are on equal ground,” Van Jura said. “There’s no advantage right now. We’ll start to see the advantages and disadvantages with the impacts of each. We’ll look at the whole picture.” l

January 2021 | Page 29

Salt Lake County concludes budget process with no tax increase

Aimee Winder Newton Salt Lake County Council | District 3

With the final approval of the 2021 Salt Lake County budget drawing near, I wanted to share some of the proactive steps we have taken as your County Council to tighten up spending.

In June, because of concerns surrounding revenue impacts from COVID-19, we scoured our budget to find as many cuts as possible – leading to a massive $77 million budget reduction. Because of all the cuts we made in June, and because sales tax revenue did not fall as much as we anticipated, we ultimately had a fairly uneventful budget season.

As we strive to be as fiscally prudent as possible, one of our top priorities is maintaining our AAA bond rating. We are one of only 27 counties in the entire nation with this highest-achievable bond rating. Keeping this bond rating results in much lower interest rates on bonds and loans.

Here are some key principles I have always prioritized during the budget process, this year included.

First and foremost, tax dollars don’t “belong” to the county. The funds are yours. Taxpayers entrust the county, or any government for that matter, with a portion of their hard-earned money because they expect that entity to pro-

vide essential services for society to function. There is no amount of tax dollars that is too small to be scrutinized.

That is why I push back aggressively anytime I hear someone flippantly say, “It’s only x dollars… so we shouldn’t worry about it.”

Any expenditure, whether it is $10 or $10 million, should be reviewed, and if it can’t be fully justified to the taxpayers, it should be cut.

Second, I believe that all government functions should be viewed in two different categories: “need to have” and “nice to have.”

The “need to have” list obviously includes things that are statutorily required of the county to perform, think constitutionally mandated services such as criminal justice and election administration. I also consider public safety to be in the “need to have” category, since keeping our residents safe is a core function of government. However, just because they are essential does not mean they are above scrutiny, because efficiencies can still be found.

The “nice to have” list includes quality of life services the county provides, as well as any other program or initiative that can easily be described as a benefit to county residents, but

not necessarily considered essential.

Libraries and open space some of the things in this category.

The separation of these two categories demonstrates the same principle that every family in our county goes through in their annual budgets. They strive to live within their means and focus on essential family expenditures sometimes at the expense of luxuries.

Lastly, I review each aspect of our budget and ask, “Is this the proper role of county government?” I’ve said many times that government can’t and shouldn’t be all things to all people.

There are many programs or services that are better suited to other government entities, nonprofits, or the private sector. Particularly in a tight budget year, it’s important to review each program, service, or expenditure and ask that question again and again.

I’m confident that these principles are the essence of good budgeting and fiscal discipline, and I will always advocate for this approach any time government is entrusted with taxpayer dollars. You can rest assured that for 2021, Salt Lake County has a balanced budget with no tax increase.

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Making the grade

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PERI KINDER

When my kids were little, I did a bit of substitute teaching.

After I accidentally threw an encyclopedia and flipped a desk over, I realized teaching elementary school probably wasn’t for me.

Teachers are comprised of strong stuff. The molten lava that flows through their veins gives them courage and an unbreakable gaze. A skeleton made of graphene (200 times stronger than steel) keeps them steady and protects their hearts. And those hearts beat a consistent tempo that opens doors to new worlds and encourages students to find their own rhythm.

But teachers are exhausted.

I attended Viewmont Elementary during the 1900s, where teachers were the top of the food chain. I worshiped the good ones, feared the difficult ones, and loathed the mean ones.

I remember the “trip” our kindergarten class took to Hawaii where we ate coconut and learned the hula. And the teacher who caught us eating snowballs, so she melted snow to show us the dirt and grime. (I haven’t eaten a snowball in more than 45 years.)

Or the teacher who shamed me for not knowing the word “chandelier.”

School was where I learned

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social skills. Okay, I learned them poorly, but I did learn some. I interacted with people my age where we talked about our favorite TV shows, what we had for dinner and whether my crush winked at me or had a tic.

Today, students feel lost.

My 8-year-old grandson started the school year online, changed to in-person learning, then went back online. He might enjoy hanging out with his mom, grandma, and little demon of a sister, but he misses his friends.

Imagine trying to learn long division on a Zoom call. I couldn’t even learn it in person. Or imagine

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Teachers are struggling. Kids are struggling. Parents are struggling.

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strating unprecedented resilience.

Many kids are failing this year, but are they really? Can you fail when a global pandemic changes the rules? When teachers adapt daily to shifting conditions?

Can you fail when parents work full-time jobs at home while staying on top of online assignments and hybrid schedules?

Teachers are a mighty mix of educator/guidance counselor/ cheerleader/cruise director, and this year their creativity and patience has been tested. It brings to mind my husband’s favorite quote, “Looks like I picked the wrong [year] to stop sniffing glue.”

This is a thank you to the teachers who work with my grandchildren. The teachers who are innovative and kind. The teachers who show up like a boss and get to work. This is also a thank you to the students who have proven to be flexible and strong. They’re all doing the best they can as they watch adults try to figure everything out.

Maybe we write this school year off; maybe it’s not the year to learn geometry or teach Latin. Perhaps it’s the year we value kindness, connection, and self-care for everyone involved. I promise, there’ll be much less encyclopedia throwing and desk flipping.

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SANDY RESIDENTS SHARE WHAT KEEPS THEM HOPEFUL AND POSITIVE

By Heather Lawrence | h.lawrence@mycityjournals.com

T

here’s an array of products for sale right now—mugs, T-shirts, masks—with a graphic that reads “2020” and then below that one star out of five is filled in. Some have comments that look like a rating system for a movie or restaurant: “Very bad. Would not recommend.”

At the end of a difficult year, the Sandy Journal asked people who live and work here what they see in their world, community or faith that gives them a reason to be positive and have hope. Here are their answers. And here’s to the five-star 2021 that we all deserve.

BROOKE BROADHEAD CHRISTENSEN, SANDY CITY COUNCILMEMBER

“I am hopeful because I still see people serving one another and being neighborly. I love that neighbors are offering to pick up groceries for shut-ins and elderly neighbors. I see almost every week someone offering to pick up groceries or take people to doctor’s appointments and help their neighbors do something they can’t do.

“I also love how hard our teachers are working. They’re willingly putting themselves in harm’s way so our kids can The Ainsworth kids of Sandy stay positive by going to school at Sprucewood Elementary, where they learn and see their friends in the Reid family. continue to have those social and education opportunities. (Photo courtesy Lisa Reid) And they do it with such enthusiasm and energy.”

SETH KRINKE, WORSHIP PASTOR, MOUNTAIN eyes focused there.

VIEW CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY

“In the church environment, we see what hope can do.

No matter our circumstances, we have hope and know our God can take care of this. In the Bible, one of the most often repeated phrases is ‘do not fear,’ and ‘do not be afraid.’ We encourage people to their faith and hope in God and keep their

The Ainsworth family “In December we had a new baby. She keeps me hopeful, “If you’re not religious, put your eyes on the good around you. It’s hard to do when you’re right in the middle of some- and I feel positive thinking that I get to show her this beautiful thing bad. But read throughout history—you’ll see that people world,” said mom Carly Ainsworth.

“Lots of family time makes me feel positive,” Bo Elyse who believe the best and keep their eyes on what can be, usually come out on top.”

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